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Thursday, June 30, 2011

Recommending Wildefire (With an ARC Giveaway)

Just got in from New Orleans. At 1:30 AM. I'm exhausted, but it's been ages since I posted, especially a review. I've been wanting to review WILDEFIRE for weeks now, too. And really. There is just no time like right this moment. But first:

Have you heard of UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi yet? So excited about this book--even more so now after seeing it's new cover!

Summary: Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—nicknamed The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms eventually will. In this dystopia, even the very air she breathes could kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild, dangerous—a savage. He’s also her only hope.

Perry needs Aria, too. She alone holds the key to his redemption. And their unlikely alliance will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

I'm totally digging this cover. Just thought I'd share. You can learn more about UNDER THE NEVER SKY (coming Feb 2012 from Harper Collins) on Veronica's blog and her group blog YA MUSES. Dude, the book has already sold to more than 20 countries.

Summary: Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

MY REVIEW

If I had to choose one word to describe WILDEFIRE, it would have to be...unpredictable. I whipped through the pages, just waiting to see what new turns the story would take. It begins with action and ends with--well, I won't tell you. But suffice it to say you won't see it coming. Somewhere in the middle, I shouted, "OMG, WTF, Karsten!" I think my heart actually started racing. There was this...running...and there were just these...things--creepy, eerie take-you-by-surprise-add-a-whole-new-dimension-to-the-story things. There comes a point when you realize there's so much more to this world than you envisioned. The story just sort of grows and widens and sucks you in deeper and deeper.

It's also just really fun. Ash has some mega skills. A can-do, take-action sort of girl, she's no damsel in distress, no matter who's harassing her (or trying to kill her). But there's another layer to Ash, which adds to her complexity; she's a fighter, but not out of choice. She doesn't hesitate to protect herself, but she doesn't particularly like it. It's this inner turmoil that sets her apart from her equally strong sister--and makes her so appealing as a character. Her distaste for violence and a natural aversion to using her abilities to their greatest extent drives a good portion of her actions and decisions.

There's a hot romance, too, which adds to that feeling of un-put-downableness. But the romance is not the main element of the story--it elevates the tension and adds yet another layer of complexity to the plot and to Ash as a character. Which, if you didn't catch it from the summary, is already fairly complex by virtue of the fact that Ash is actually a goddess. And not just any goddess. I won't go into any specifics as it would ruin it for you, but what Knight does with the gods in this world is truly unique. Truly...unpredictable.

The writing itself will pull you in, too--clever turns of phrase and indefatigable humor. Ash has this incredible, dry sense of humor, whether she's speaking or thinking. It's subtle and by no means makes this a comedy, but it will have you cracking up. Ash is refreshingly blunt, but also witty. It's a perfect combination--a voice that can hold its own in a kickass urban fantasy. WILDEFIRE is a wild ride: funny, original and jam-packed with excitement.

I'm glad you made it home safely! I MISS YOU SO MUCH ALREADY. Seriously. And I am literally staring at my arc of Wildefire as I type this, so maybe I'll let myself read it as a reward for getting some writing done today :) Love you, C!

FFFF- this is so unfair. I was actually offered a copy of Wildefire to review, but I turned it down for another book that I thought was more interesting... not going to name names, but that book wasn't very good and Wildefire OBVIOUSLY is! This is the third ravereview I've read in the past week... such is life, I guess.

Despite the fact that I have been seeing this book everywhere, I haven't really seen many reviews of it... And the only one that I remember right now wasn't what you might call enthusiastic. Thanks for giving me the other side, too! Great review! I really want to read this book though, if only because of the fact that Karsten Knight's videos are just plain hilarious! :)